Honey has valuable medicinal and nutritive properties, and people have used honey since ancient times. In particular, manuka honey has gained recent attention since the early 19th century. It is a monofloral honey, which means that bees pollinate only one type of plant - which in this case is the Manuka bush. This plant is a native of New Zealand and Australia. The honey obtained after pollination from this plant is considered more potent than standard bee honey. Let's explore how manuka honey works and its healing properties.
Manuka honey is regarded as a superfood. It is both anti-bacterial and bacterial resistant. It also has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action that can rapidly decrease pain, inflammation, and repair tissue damaged by infection. Manuka honey is beneficial in the following conditions:
Manuka honey has several healing properties and can be used in these cases:
The honey is indicated in the management of various wounds. When applied to wounds, it prevents infection and promotes healing. Honey has healing properties such as antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits.
It regulates the pH balance and moisture content in the vicinity of the wound and offers a protective barrier to microbial infections. Like other types of honey, it maintains an acidic pH between 3.2-4.5 which inhibits enzymes that break down proteins involved in the repair of your body. It draws the fluid from the wound due to high sugar content that facilitates healing. The antimicrobial action of different types of honey is also a result of the presence of several chemical substances such as hydrogen peroxide, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids which act as natural antibiotics. Unlike other types of honey, it has high amounts of a substance called methylglyoxal (MGO) which is practically more potent over the germs in the wound.
The honey producers rate the potency of manuka honey according to several rating scales. One of the rating scales is known as the Unique Manuka Factor or UMF. The UMF rating reflects the concentration of methylglyoxal. The other markers include leptosperin, dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as well as hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Manuka honey requires a minimum rating of 10 UMF to be regarded as potent. Honey at or above that level is marketed as UMF Manuka Honey or Active Manuka Honey. Manuka honey with UMF certificate shows that honey was produced in New Zealand.
Another system of grading manuka honey is the MGO system which measures only the methylglyoxal in the honey.The concentration of MGO ranges from 0mg/1kg to 1000mg/1kg. Anything above 100mg/1kg is considered antibacterial. Also, a KFactor 16 is another system of grading used to evaluate the potency of manuka honey. It measures markers such as purity, live enzymes, about 250 chemical compounds, pollen count, pH levels, antioxidant levels, and phenolic compounds. For comparing the three scales, 10 UMF corresponds to 100 MGO and 14 KFactor for a medium potency sample of manuka honey.
Manuka honey has been approved by the United States Federal and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used in bandages and wound care. It's been used in wounds, sores, burns, and ulcers.
Manuka honey is effective in treating wound infections caused by so-called “superbugs” or antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Surgical wounds heal well, regardless of whether the incisions were treated with honey or vaseline.
Studies on burns patients have shown that the honey decreases healing time, escalates the regeneration of tissue, and reduces pain in the wound.
It supports the healing of foot ulcers in diabetic patients. Studies show that manuka honey wound dressings, when combined with conventional wound treatment, healed diabetic ulcers more effectively than conventional treatment.
Manuka honey is used to provide relief to a sore throat by killing the bacteria that cause inflammation and pain. It also coats the lining of your throat to have a calming effect. Manuka honey also acts as a cough suppressant and soothes the irritation in your upper airways. Studies have suggested that the honey significantly decreases the bacteria causing sore throat in patients receiving chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. Similarly, researchers found a decrease in the inflammation of mucosa caused by radiation in patients with head and neck cancer.
Manuka honey is indicated to address the inflammation of your gums. It checks the growth of harmful bacteria that cause inflammation. The use of honey also prevents tooth decay and plaque formation. This is unlike refined sugars which lead to tooth decay. A study was conducted to investigate the effect of manuka honey chew in comparison to sugar-free gum. Researchers concluded that the honey chew group had a marked reduction in plaque formation and gum bleeding as compared to the control group.
Oral health is of vital importance in adrenal fatigue. Poor oral health can lead to toxins easily entering the body and stressing the detoxification circuit and adrenal glands.
The honey provides benefits in conditions associated with your gut such as stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel syndrome. The honey works as a remedy for the symptoms associated with stomach ulcers such as stomach pain, nausea, or heartburn. Studies have revealed that the honey suppresses the growth of bacteria responsible for inflammation in the stomach. The potency of the manuka honey was found to be relatively greater than other types of honey. Also, the honey aids in handling the symptoms of IBS or leaky gut such as diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, and irregular bowel movements. It also reduces the pain and bleeding accompanying inflammatory bowel conditions. Evidence has demonstrated a noticeable role of this honey in reducing colonic inflammation in animal models. Therefore, it works as a reliable remedy for your gut imbalances.
Many toxins and inflammatory compounds can enter via the gut. As such it is important to make sure your gut health is being taken care of.
Manuka honey might also prove effective in conditions linked with inflammation in your body. These include acne, lung infections, and cancers. Research is ongoing to evaluate its effects on these conditions.
You should consult your health coach before you start using manuka honey. In particular, people with diabetes, allergies, and babies should not use this honey.
If you have diabetes, the consumption of honey may affect blood sugar levels.
If you have an allergy to honey or bees, it increases your risk to get an allergic reaction after ingesting or applying this honey.
You should not give honey to babies younger than one year of age due to the risk of infant botulism, a type of foodborne illness.
Manuka honey acts by reducing inflammation in your body. Inflammation is your body’s response to stress which can be physical or psychological and referred to as NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response. Physical stress can occur in the form of infections, injuries, or trauma. Psychological stress can occur due to work, school, or reaction to an emotional event. When the stress is acute, your body rapidly increases cortisol to overcome the temporary phase. However, prolonged, chronic stress results in a decrease in cortisol production. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) sets in as the adrenal glands are unable to cope up with stress.
Manuka honey is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. It works as a remedy to address the imbalances related to AFS. When your immune system is weak or underdeveloped the exposure to external microbes will turn on a response in the inflammation circuit.
The honey suppresses the inflammation caused by the disruption in the normal microbiome in different areas of your body as a result of stress. It, therefore, modulates the activities of the weak immune system to fight the foreign microbes.
Manuka honey facilitates the growth of good gut bacteria essential for correct food digestion, nutrient assimilation, and a strong immune system. Chronic stress leads to inflammation in your gut in the initial stages. This results in increasing the permeability of the lining of your gut. The noxious substances pass through the gut lining and set off your body’s immune system. Further, they may travel to different organs such as the skin, brain, or heart where they start inflammation. When the digestion and absorption processes of your body are defective, it makes it highly demanding for you to get the various nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required for normal function. This triggers conditions such as stomach ulcers, irritable and inflammatory bowel syndrome, or the gastric slow down leading to irregular bowel movements. This occurs in advanced stages of adrenal fatigue, which can mean good beneficial bacteria are replaced by foreign non-beneficial bacteria.
The honey works to suppress the inflammation circuit, regulating the NEM response and the underlying adrenal fatigue. Do keep in mind though if you have blood sugar imbalances with adrenal fatigue, to not have too much honey by mouth because it can cause blood sugar imbalances when having sugary foods.
You can do some things to normalize your health in case you are bothered by infections or gut imbalances:
No matter what plan of action you decide to take, however, please seek advice from your healthcare practitioner who will assess your particular situation and advise whether the honey is right for you.
If you would like to get additional information or need assistance with manuka honey, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1-626-571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and various appropriate choices. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
© Copyright 2021 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Manuka honey has valuable medicinal and nutritive properties. It provides relief to infections in different areas of your body and restores the imbalances in your gut health. The presence of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial agents are responsible for its benefits in your body.
